Huddersfield Town boss Liam Manning's special praise for Ryan Hardie after maiden goal against Barnsley

The Wrexham striker, who joined the club on a deadline day, was handed his debut late on in Tuesday's 1-0 loss at Doncaster Rovers.

Manning admits he is currently managing Hardie's minutes as he returns to the fray - he injured his knee for his parent club in mid-December - and has taken a couple of 'calculated gambles' with the Scot this week after limited training time.

Trailing at the interval to David McGoldrick's wonder goal for Barnsley, Town levelled early in the second period through Ryan Ledson.

The stage was set for Hardie, who scored in predatory fashion for the match-winning moment on 74 minutes as sixth-placed Town claimed a badly-needed win after successive defeats in the past seven days.

Manning said: "We were obviously desperate to get him in terms of bringing him in (and) knowing he wasn't going to be available for a few weeks. He deserves a huge amount of credit for how he looks after himself.

"The first session back on Monday after eight weeks out was a very light session because it was the day before a game. He had a few minutes on Tuesday and then a really light session yesterday (Friday).

"He hasn't done a huge amount of training to be totally honest. To come on and produce like he did shows everything why we were so keen to get him.

"I think he causes problems off the back of people and he's a really good finisher. I've given him a bit of stick, he should have scored two and should have taken the other one (chance)!.

"But when you look at the quality on the finish on his goal, it was a top, top moment and to be fair we needed that.

"We needed Cam Ashia to come on and have the impact he did, we needed David Kasumu to come on and have the impact he did. You look at the three lads that came on, they raised the level of the team.

"Marcus Harness, to be fair to him, said at half time that we need everybody ready.

"You pick a team to start the game that you think can get you ahead. You know you're going to need the options to be able to change in game. We try to be aggressive with the subs, we try to not wait for things to happen, we try to be proactive."

On his overall analysis of the game, he continued: "It was a tough one against a team that's well coached and well set up with some good players.

"In some bits in the first half, I thought they showed some really good moments but then once we beat their press, I thought we turned it over too cheap and as a result, we ended up defending a few counter attacks.

"But I thought we got into some really good areas. Lasse (Sorensen) coming inside and Will (Alves) had a few moments.

"We could have taken a bit more risk and been a bit braver, but there was not a huge amount in it for me.

"In the second half, I thought we showed a bit more conviction, a bit more purpose and showed more quality in and around the final third and could have scored more to be fair.

"When you look at the chances and the areas we got into, I thought we looked really dangerous in how we progressed it, but then also in terms of counter attacks as well.

"I thought we showed some really, really good moments and again I think off the back of two tough results, the lads have shown what they're about in terms of being able to keep control of it and respond like you need to which is by performing today and getting the result."